Farm Net Zero Resources
Throughout the Farm Net Zero project, we are generating content that will be useful for farmers aiming for Net Zero. These will be uploaded or linked to here:
Factsheets & Guides:
For Farms:
- How to optimise your compost management (pdf)
- Earthworms (pdf)
- Liming: the importance of managing soil pH (pdf)
- Soil Compaction (pdf)
- Social Media and Marketing Factsheet (pdf)
- Project overview flyer (pdf)
- Maize and soil health: how it adds up (pdf)
- Monitoring Soil Carbon: a Practical Field, Farm and Lab Guide (pdf)
- Reducing Nitrogen Usage in Crop Production (pdf)
- Livestock Factsheet: overview of emissions and opportunities (pdf)
- Arable Farming Factsheet: overview of emissions and opportunities (pdf)
- Cover Cropping Factsheet (pdf)
- Farm Carbon Footprinting Factsheet (pdf)
- Soil Testing Explained (pdf)
- Best Practice for Fertiliser Use Efficiency (pdf)
- Carbon footprint of the Real Food Garden (pdf)
- Grazing management (pdf)
- Hedgerows for carbon capture (pdf)
- The Carbon Footprint of Trenance Farm (pdf)
For Gardeners:
- Why Compost (pdf)
- Grow slow: a resource on perennials and forest gardening (pdf)
- Beneficial bugs: a resource on insect friendly gardening (pdf)
- Stop Digging! (pdf)
- Species Rich Lawn (pdf)
- Ponds and Rain Gardens (pdf)
- Be a Soil Superhero! Invitation to join the Citizen Science work (pdf)
Project Research & Methods
- Soil Sampling Methodology (pdf)
- Field Lab: optimised compost management for productivity and soil health
- Trial: Over winter grazing at Ennis Barton, Blable and Tregooden Farms (pdf)
- Trial: Rumination trial at Ennis Barton (pdf)
- Trial: Soil Recovery at Erth Barton (pdf)
- Trial: Population wheat at Erth Barton (online / PDF download)
- Nutrient Comparison of Compost, Dirty Compost Bedding from Blable Farm and Farmyard Manure per Tonne (pdf)
- Trial: Grazed winter cover crops (pdf)
- Trial: Maize establishment at Tregooden Farm (pdf)
Videos
- The Incredible Role of Dung Beetles on Livestock Farms: Why dung beetles are a vital part of the ecology and diversity of livestock farms, with highlights from the Dung Beetle Conference 2024. Covering integrated parasite management, case studies and the benefits to animal health, soil health and the farm’s wider ecosystem.
- “Mob Grazing & Rotational Grazing” Cornish Mutual Podcast Episode 27, with Farm Carbon Toolkit Soil & Carbon Advisor Hannah Jones and farmer Ben Thomas
- “Five farms in Cornwall on a journey towards Net Zero”: full length video
- “Taster” for “Five farms in Cornwall on a journey towards Net Zero” videos
- Martin Howlett, Deer Park Farm – explains their work with adult learners and Farm Net Zero
- Bonny Lightfoot, Alren Farm – working with the local community to help protect homes from flooding
- Amelia Lake, The Real Food Garden – sharing passion for regenerative farming with customers
- Claire Brewer, Ennis Barton Farm – school children have fun on farm learning about dairy farming
- Catherine Barrett, Tregooden Farm: the power of farmer-to-farmer learning in Cornwall
- Erth Barton Farm – Introduction video
- Ennis Barton Farm – Introduction video
- Blable Farm – Introduction video
FNZ Event Write-ups
- “Making the Most of Homegrown Protein” event (PDF)
- Sheep Conference (PDF)
- Direct Sales and Marketing at Padstow Farm Shop (PDF)
- Getting Started with Foliar Feeding (PDF)
- Filming on your phone – FNZ workshop (PDF)
- Community screening of FNZ film (PDF)
- Farm Net Zero at Oxford Real Farming Conference 2024 (PDF / view online)
- Silage with Dave Davies – 16th November 2023 (PDF / view online)
- FNZ Agronomists’ Workshop – 28th November 2023 (PDF / view online)
- Lessons Learnt At Erth Barton – 18th October 2023 (PDF / view online)
- Livestock and Trees with Lindsay Whistance – 27th September 2023 (PDF / view online)
- How to Grow Lucerne – 26th July 2023 (PDF / view online)
- Risky Crops – 29th March 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Let’s Talk About Grass – 29th April 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Holistic Worm Management – 11th May 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Erth Barton Summer Farm Tour – 29th June 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Conservation Grazing 20th – July 2022 (PDF / view online)
- FNZ Farmer Conference – 13th September 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Herbal Leys: The Hows and Whys – 14th October 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Planning for the Future with Environmental Stewardship – 28th November 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Outwintering on Forage/Cover Crops – 14th December 2022 (PDF / view online)
- Hedges – a win-win! 16th February 2023 (PDF/ view online)
- Methane Capture from Slurry – 22nd March 2023 (PDF/ view online)
- Getting Paid for Carbon – webinar on 27 April 2023 (toolkit page / presentation PDF)
- Ponds and Wetlands, and Forest Gardening and Agroforestry workshops – Spring 2023 (view online)
- How to…overseeding – 12th May 2023 (PDF/view online)
Further information
If you are interested in reading further on similar topics to the resources information above, you may wish to visit the Innovative Farmers Knowledge Hub
Project Newsletters
- September 2024
- June 2024 update
- April 2024 update
- January 2024 update
- August 2023 update
- June 2023 update
- April 2023 update
- February 2023 update
- Autumn 2022 update
- Spring 2022 update
- Winter 2021 update
- Autumn 2021 update
Media coverage
- Farmers Weekly, Jul 2024, Blable Demo Farm https://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/beef/suckler-business-lifts-margin-353-ha-with-fewer-cows
- BBC Radio 4, Farming Today, Jan 2024, Andrew Brewer, FNZ Demo Farm discusses the benefits of herbal lays and the upcoming FNZ trial to better understand their impact on dairy systems; with FCT’s Hannah Jones explaining importance of the trial. Link to segment.
- Farmers Guardian, Jul 2023. Rob Sluggett Young Farmers Article.
- Farmers Guardian, Jun 2023. Sam Roberts Young Farmers Article
- BBC News, Jun 2023, Farmers in Cornwall working to reduce carbon footprint.
- BBC Spotlight: Lunchtime News: 08/06/2023.
- Farmers Guardian, May 2023. Young farmer article – Bradley and Nicole Davey.
- Radio Cornwall, James Churchfield Show (featuring at 2:42:40), May 23. No longer available.
- Farmers Guide, Jan 23, Building soil fertility is central to solving the fertiliser crisis, group says
- Innovative Farmers blog, Jan 23, Seven Innovative Farmers We Were Inspired By At ORFC 2023
- Farmers Weekly, Nov 22, How Cornish farms are innovating in bid to reach net zero
- Cornwall Live, Nov 22, “Bodmin Moor newlyweds take over farm and start eco-friendly journey”
- South West Farmer, Aug 22, “Regenerative farming in Cornwall with Farm Net Zero“
- Six Inches of Soil blog, Aug 22, “Farm carbon foot printing and the importance of dung beetles…”
- The Farm Consultancy Group, Aug 22, “Short of Forage? Could a Diverse Winter Grazing Mixture Be the Answer?“
- Farmers Guardian, Apr 22: “Resilient farming system aims to achieve net zero“
- Precision Grazing Case Studies podcast, “Mike and Sam Roberts – Blable Farm“
- Farmers Weekly, Oct 2021. “How a Cornish arable farm aims to be net zero in five years“
- Farmers Guardian, Nov 2021, “Innovative bedding helps to reduce carbon footprint on beef farm”
Farm Net Zero
A community of farmers in Cornwall taking action to address climate change and protect soil health. Showcasing innovation, engaging the public and providing robust science through soil testing and footprinting:
